


Bunkmates

by Pigeon_theoneandonly



Series: Ben Shepard [1]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Cute, Fluff, M/M, Mass Effect 1, Pre-Relationship, THERE WAS ONLY ONE BED
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:47:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26294386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pigeon_theoneandonly/pseuds/Pigeon_theoneandonly
Summary: Dead on his feet, Commander Ben Shepard finds everyone on his crew a place to sleep, but makes a small miscalculation...
Relationships: Kaidan Alenko/Male Shepard
Series: Ben Shepard [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1910524
Comments: 8
Kudos: 40





	Bunkmates

Ben Shepard had been awake for a full twenty-six hours by the time he got the last of his crew squared away and went looking for a bunk himself. Dead on his feet, and completely out of patience with Exo Geni’s corrosive secrets. It took a small eternity to scrub off dust and putrid splatter from the thorian’s long drop. The _Normandy_ was at the other end of the colony, evacuating corporate HQ. And the colonists manning Zhu’s Hope hadn’t beds to spare before their arrival.

So it took some logistical juggling to get everyone a berth. Tired as he was, he didn’t realize he’d miscalculated until he walked into a small bolt-hole aft of the downed freighter and found Kaidan just about to lie down.

“Shit.” Ben sighed, and rubbed his head.

Kaidan glanced around. “Did I get my assignment wrong?”

Ben shook his head. “No. Greta said there were two cots in here, that’s all.”

He stood up immediately. “Well, you should have this one.”

“Nah.” Ben waved him back, face reddening. “I’ll just find a corner to hunch up in.”

“We’ve done nothing but sleep in corners for the past week.” Then, seeing his doubt, added, “Seriously, I’ll be fine. You look like hell.”

His expression turned sardonic. “Thanks, L.T.”

Kaidan’s turn to blush. “I… I just…”

Sometimes, just for a second here and there, Ben forgot that he wasn’t supposed to find his pink cheeks or flustered look cute. Cute, in fact, was not supposed to appear anywhere in the vicinity of his thoughts about a junior officer under his command. He took a breath and got a grip. “Goodnight.”

But Kaidan wasn’t that easily dissuaded. “This is ridiculous. If you won’t take it, I’ll just budge up and we can share it.”

Ben paused mid-step. Genuinely taken aback. Kaidan crossed his arms. “What, Commander Shepard never had to share a tent on ground deployment?”

Navy-issued tents were infamous for sleeping two and not having room for either man to lie flat. Cost savings in material, or so rumor had it. Bean counters won all the truly important battles.

But they’d all used them, and if Ben said no now, it would actually look more suspicious. Like he had a reason for not wanting to sleep near Kaidan. He rolled his eyes and put on the best exasperated face he could muster. “You better not snore.”

“Not a peep, I promise.” Half a grin. Ben glanced away.

By dint of a lot of shuffling, they managed to get both of them mostly on the cot, lying back-to-back. Ben tucked his arm under his head. His back warm where it rested against Kaidan’s, heat passing through his service uniform with ease. Tried not to respond as Kaidan shifted around, getting comfy, and certainly not thinking about what would happen if either of them rolled over. Nope, absolutely not.

And his thoughts definitely did not drift to that morning ten days ago, when Ben rose at his usual early hour, and found Kaidan brushing his teeth because the migraines made his sleep schedule completely unpredictable. They chatted as Ben jumped in the shower. Kaidan concentrating on his morning routine, aftershave and twelve kinds of pomade for his hair, and Ben watching the muscles move beneath the skin of his back, towel riding intriguingly low on his hips. Standing in the water even as it grew cold, never more grateful for the steel modesty partition separating it from the rest of the bathroom.

He didn’t even know if Kaidan was interested in men. There was no casual way to bring it up. He never mentioned any kind of significant other when the rest of the crew chatted about their loved ones back home, or bulled about previous relationships. Irritatingly tight-lipped on all matters personal.

Ben scrunched up on the cot. Feeling Kaidan shuffle in return, adjusting automatically to the shape of his body, his breathing deep and even. Already asleep. Maybe that was his answer. Not that there was any question to ask.

He shut his eyes. Genuinely exhausted himself, and if he was really honest, genuinely comfortable despite the narrow cot. Something about just being near Kaidan relaxed him. Even as it ratcheted up other kinds of nerves. 

Making a pillow of his arm, he did his best to put aside the pointless speculation. They had a job to do. That was it.

After a time, he slept.

Overslept, actually. Sunbeams filtered through the cracks in the battered hab when Ben heard movement, and jerked awake. 

Ash glanced up from the doorway. “There you are.”

Then her expression changed. Something simultaneously amused and concerned. Ben tried to blink the grit from his eyes. “What?”

Her eyebrows were in her hair. She nodded towards his cot. “Something you want to mention, Skipper?”

Ben glanced down, and saw their hands tangled together on Kaidan’s hip, where they came to rest during the night. Fingers laced together like that was exactly how they belonged.


End file.
